Scholarships for research on AIDS

LAHORE: For the first time, PhD and MPhil students will get scholarships for their research work in the subjects related to AIDS control programme in Punjab.“Some 44 applications for PhD and 76 for MPhil have already been received,” Primary and Secondary Health Department Additional Secretary Dr Adnan Zafar told reporters after presiding over a meeting here on Thursday.

Dr Zafar, also the project director of the Punjab AIDS Control Programme (PACP), said that 20 scholarships for PhD and 30 for MPhil students would be awarded.“Every PhD scholar will get Rs40,000 while MPhil student Rs20,000 scholarship,” he said.A committee consisting of experts would evaluate and sort out the eligible candidates for the scholarship.Headed by Professor of Pathology Dr Naeem Akhtar of the Rawalpindi Medical College, the committee includes Prof Tahir Yaqoob (Micro Biologist and Virologist at University of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore), Prof Abdul Rauf Shakoori (Professor of Biological Sciences at Punjab University), Prof Zarfashan Tahir (Institute of Public Health), Prof Sidra Saleem (University of Health Sciences) and Prof Anjum Nasim Sabri (Micro Biologist at Punjab University).Dr Zafar said the subjects selected for research work included micro biology, genetic, molecular biology, public health, medicines, virology, epidemiology, physiology and pathology.